Rubio's Baja Grill or Tokyo Joe's!!

Pita Pit!

It's definitely an eyesore. How about opening up a Sonic? The closest Sonic is in Baltimore. :D

Creates a real ghetto look to the center. No more high density housing needed in the area. Too much density now.

While the situation is unfortunate at the moment I think it creates an opportunity for the property to be acquired by an owner that will enhance and maintain the site. The building has been in disrepair for a long time and that particular KFC location was known to have issues with sanitary conditions and poor service. Personally, I would be thrilled if Kimco purchased the property and included the site in their redevelopment plans. A Donna's Cafe would be my first choice for a tenant. With the adjacent swim center and tennis courts, I think a cafe/coffee shop could get some good foot traffic and the prominent location could capture drivers from Twin Rivers.

Wilde Lake deserves something nice in that spot.

a gym!! Knock it down and build something totally new. Or a little sushi place would be great.

A cafe would be great - although it would compete with Bagel Bin.

I'd been hoping to give my parents a positive impression of Wilde Lake, but that seems unlikely, given the slum-like loitering, lack of grocery store, and now a boarded-up KFC. KFC is on my list of places I've avoided for well over a decade, along with McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell, etc., but at least it provided residents in north and west Columbia (west of Rt. 29 and the mall) something other than McDonald's and Subway for fast food options. I do prefer to eat something better than fast food, but when time's at a minimum, unpacking the kids from the car and waiting around for food to prepare, even at Subway or a real deli, just sucks. Ideally there would be a drive-through restaurant where KFC is now.

Out due to geography (closest stores in parentheses): In-N-Out Burger (closest so far is Texas), Culver's (Ohio), and White Castle (NJ/NY/PA), Whataburger (South only), Steak n' Shake (Fredericksburg, VA), Church's (Philly)

Unlikely, but nice: Panera (scaling up drive-through ops), Bojangles (several in MD DC suburbs), Chipotle, de Chick'n Pollo (Hickory Ridge location closed?), Capriotti’s (eastern shore MD/DE)

More realistic: Dairy Queen, Sonic, Roy Rogers, Popeye's, Chick-Fil-A, A&W

Not bad: Checkers, Wendy's, Hardee's, Popeye's

No better than KFC, boarded-up or not: McDonald's, Burger King, Long John Silver’s, Taco Bell, sub chains

Obviously an independent or micro-chain would be best of all, but that's harder to project. Thoughts on these options?

This thread is making me very hungry......

I second the vote for a Sonics, as these are enjoyable establishments (when kept up) with a nice drive-in style to them.

I don't think a sushi place would be good, as Columbia already has a bunch ranging from good (but expensive) to garbage. Also, as much as I enjoy A&W it usually goes hand-in-hand with Long John Silvers, as combo restaurants are cheaper.

If it has to be fast food (other than a Sonic's), then do something not as common in Columbia. We already have two Panera's, two Chipotles, and ~three~ Chick-Fil-As. I also don't think replacing it with another chicken joint is that great (like Bojangles or Popeyes).

If not a Sonics, then go with a Wendy's (there's only one in north Columbia) or a Hardee's/Roy Rogers (we have none).

Marcia and Kirsty: I think something new in the village center would be great, but there's already space without knocking down and rebuilding on the location. My general distaste for fast food aside, I think this location would be best used for another restaurant of that variety. With all the development planned for the village center, you'd think a fast-food restaurant would get a real jump-start from construction crews and others involved, and by the time they're on their way out, the new residential spaces and new village center amenities would be in place.

The wheels are apparently in motion for redevelopment, but I still haven't found definitive plans for what stores are in the works. I know there's not a standard grocery store in the works, so it appears David's remains the main food store, as it has since Produce Galore (*sniffle*) and Giant shuttered a few years ago. It appears there's a drug store, perhaps Rite Aid or CVS, in the works. I'd love to see a retail cooperative hardware store go in, but I'm not sure a True Value or Ace would fit.

By the way, I did mention Panera earlier, but upon reflection, I'd hate that, as the Bagel Bin is a great little micro-chain that I think would die in Wilde Lake if Panera were there. But what if the Bagel Bin were to try its hand at a free-standing location with a drive-thru? Can't tell you how much I'd love to grab a coffee and bagel or muffin without getting out of the car or going to Starbucks!

Brook: A&W used to be commonly co-located with LJS, but that was when both were part of Yum! brands. I believe A&W has been spun off, and therefore wouldn't be co-located with LSJ.

It's interesting that KFC is seeing a new foreign market. I'm ashamed to say that I visited a McDonald's in Germany once, and it was packed!

unfortuanately the WL center, once arguably the most vibrant columbia village, may not be needed as a village center at all. yes, a store like a walgreens to serve thepeople nearby or a convenience store like Highs, which used to be near Produce galore, would survive. But if columbia were being totally rebuilt today, with the center of retail east of Snowden River and Broken Land, and with extensive expansion of the mall that hadnt happened in the great yrs of WLVC, the time for a village center may be over. How many residents participate in community activities at the center. The "center" is out of the way, frankly of where people choose to shop and be entertained. Even if newer housing is built, it doesnt mean significant retail will thrive there, with the Mall, Harper Choice, Hickory Ridge, Rt 175 and Dorsey Hall nearby. Columbia is a motorized commuter town; the model of the sixties has to update. The market always wins out over utopian fantasies. The departure of Produce Galore, a sixties store, a great one, if there ever was one, was the real end of WLVC, more even than Giant. This is a blue and middle class residential community now; nothing wrong with that. Improve the housing for sure. The retail simply isnt going to thrive on a side street any more than Oakland Mills' troubled center. Times change.

A Sonic would not fit in that area... plus the location is just wrong. This would be the best location for a kick-butt coffee shop (Locally owned) to fit the theme of the other locally owned "David's" etc... Not to mention so many privately owned coffee shops fail in columbia because they are so hidden... This is right on a main road, and easy to get in and out of. NO STARBUCKS... If they could get something similar to "Bean Hallow" in Historic Elllicott City, it would have my biz..

Sonic would be the obvious choice. I would break my "no more fast food" for that chain to finally come here to Columbia. Last time I went to a Sonic, I was in Texas on a road trip to see friends. Something new and good for once. Tired of seeing Wilde Lake Village Center empty with signs of life only at a gas station. When is the last time they had an outdoor event at WLVC anyway? I used to work at Blockbuster ('99-'01) in Wilde Lake and there was always something going on.

As a user of Slayton House & Columbia Swim Center, it's sad that there's no good place to pick up dinner or grab a snack. I don't mean bad "fast food" - but when your only options in the evening are the Melting Pot or Pizza Boli's, we're clearly missing something. Where do tennis players using the Wilde Lake courts go to get a Gatorade or a snack after working out? Interesting to hear about Panera drive-thrus...Of course, the Panera at the mall couldn't close - it's usually packed!

I totally think there should be an in-n-out. That would be so great, the closest one is on another coast. I am NOT getting on a plane to get some in-n-out.

Or maybe a five guys or a sonic? Because god knows we don't need another McDonalds. Although I personally wouldn't mind, it should be fast food. Or maybe a really cute cafe!